Don’s Tips: Processionary Caterpillars

 

Thaumetopoea processionea

Processionary Caterpillars / Photo by Kleuske / CC BY

Have you ever seen the long conga-lines of processionary caterpillars struggling across your lawn or garden at this time of the year?

They are off to find a place to hide where they metamorphose into moths.  Usually this is a football-size tangle of webbing either in the branches of shrubs, or even at ground level.  But be warned.  These hairy caterpillars can cause abortions in horses and some other farm animals like goats. The horses and goats accidentally eat these stinging caterpillars as they consume grasses.

The processionary caterpillars have hairy bristles all over them that can cause severe skin rashes in humans.

The caterpillars feed on white cedar leaves or gumtree or wattle leaves.

If you are on a country property remove horses and goats from paddocks where you notice these caterpillars and especially from paddocks adjacent to white cedar trees.  If you are in residential areas, just be on the lookout & avoid them.

Take care guys.

Hooroo!